Food conveyor manufacturer Cox & Plant Products has won a contract to supply equipment for the first automated frozen food packing facility in Serbia.

The £150,000 packing line has been just been installed in the frozen vegetable facility at frozen food producer Frikom.

The Stourbridge firm, which employs 30 people, hopes the deal with the Belgrade producer will herald further business in Eastern Europe.

Cox & Plant planes to attend a trade mission in Bulgaria and Romania in September to visit a selection of food processors.

The company has also received an enquiry from a multi-national household brand in Hungary.

The Serbian system has been designed by Cox & Plant Products to improve processes at the facility and ensure packing efficiency right from start to finish, from bulk feeding and separation of vegetables to quality control.

The installation will incorporate a number of conveyors including a lift and tip machine, cluster buster, metering conveyor, inspection and de-snowing conveyor and colour sorting machine.

Project manager Darren Coxhill said: "This is a double achievement. Not only is it Serbia's first automated frozen food packing facility, but is it also our first contract win in Serbia."